quoting 'isomorphisms'

[gusl]

Most of the time, I don't enjoy reading angry posts. But when they're saying something I wish I had said, it's a different story:

isomorphisms said:

Current mood: too old for this crap

New rule
People who loftily interject, without elaboration, "Oh, but you can use statistics to prove anything," should be barred from debate for life. Or at least until they retract that statement.

No, you can't use statistics to prove everything, but you can wave around contorted data to pursuade ignorant people with a limited capacity for critical thought to accept anything. Well, with the exception of ignorant people with a limited capacity for critical thought who proclaim that you can use statistics to prove anything - these people tend to inhabit a universe in which one can never really know anything at all, least of all where numbers are involved, because all studies are created equal. Why do these people even bother arguing? Seems the only belief they hold strongly is the one that everything is murky and uncertain.

I've run across a number of "you can use statistics to prove anything" blog posts in the past couple of days, and the unwritten conclusions is "...so therefore I only look at statistics that confirm my political beliefs."